Etymology
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combust (v.)

"to inflame, to burn," late 15c., from Latin combustus, past participle of combuere "to burn up, consume" (see combustion). "Now only jocular or affected" [OED]. Related: Combusted; combusting. Combust was used in Middle English from late 14c. as a past-participle adjective, "burnt," from Old French combust (14c.) and directly from Latin combustus. Also it was an astrological term for planets when near the sun.

Entries linking to combust

combustion (n.)

"action or process of burning," early 15c., from Old French combustion (13c.) and directly from Latin combustionem (nominative combustio) "a burning," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin comburere "to burn up, consume," from com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-), + *burere, based on a faulty separation of amburere "to burn around," which is properly ambi-urere, from urere "to burn, singe" (from PIE root *heus- "to burn;" see ember).

updated on January 24, 2018

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Dictionary entries near combust

combative

comber

combination

combine

combo

combust

combustible

combustion

come

come-at-able

comeback

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